As a foster mom of many, three hungry sons, all their friends, drop in cops, and neighborhood strays, our kitchen was a busy room. I learned to keep the dishes done, the living room picked up, and something yummy and easy on the stove or in the fridge for a quick re-heat.

Cops were always hungry, and things often went "bump in the night" causing my home to be full of activity. I found that my nerves settled down and so did the house if I made sure we had something to snack on, and kept the iced tea pitcher full and the coffee pot ready for brewing.

Stumbling out of bed when I heard midnight voices, I went to the kitchen by habit. The cops looked apologetic, but never turned down the offer of food. My goal was to heat it, put it on the table, and get back to bed if I could. Sleep didn't come easily, but with a job, college classes, and kids by the dozen, any time resting was considered sleep by me.

Every week, I made sloppy joes and never the same way twice, though there was a favorite recipe. Most of the time, I used ground beef, but when the budget allowed, I'd use roast, pork and even chicken or turkey; it makes a lot for freezing.

I shudder a little at how much we spent on groceries; taking advantage of meat sales was a habit; cooking for an army was as well.

I'm not a fancy cook, but I can turn out 3 or 4 main dishes and 6 sides in nothing flat. This recipe was a staple. It's good with chicken, ground beef, shredded brisket, or pork. It brings back many memories for me.

This weekend, we spent some time digging in the photo box, shedding a few tears, and then I made this barbeque for the kids who came to visit on Sunday. 2 of our sons prowled through the photo box, laughed and even shed a few tears of their own.

After pigging out, they were gone, taking leftovers home. Now, it's me, the hubby, the cat and dog in an all too quiet house.

It feels both good and horrible. Life is all mixed up, yes?

Enoy the Copper Bar-B-Que Sandwich that was a tradition in our home for so long: (This will feed about 14, if mom fills the sandwiches, and about 8 if the kids do.) Double everything to make a lot!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 1/4 c ketchup (use a good brand, they are NOT all alike; homemade is even better!!)
• 1/2 c lemon juice (this is the secret...revealed here! Apple cider vinegar is also delicious)
• 5 - 6 tsp chili powder
• 3 tsp spicy brown mustard (again, use a good brand)1 1/2 tsp salt ( or substitute if you're watching sodium, we never did, but do now)
• 1 1/2 tsp (or more of worchestershire sauce to taste. - sometimes I'd put in 2 tsp and it was still good)
• dashes of hot sauce, to taste
• 3 - 4 lbs of boneless pork cooked your favorite way and chopped into small pieces so it's tender
• 12 - 14 hamburger buns

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker ( Ok, except the buns...duh) and heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

The secret to this recipe, is to cook the meat ahead of time. Every weekend, I'd cook hamburger meat, a big fat hen, and a roast. I spent some time, with hubby's help, slicing and chopping meats and puting them into containers in the fridge. This saved our "life" as time was always scarce.

We kept sliced vegetables in a big plastic bin in the refrigerator, as well as a pre-cooked pot of beans. Meals were a snap, and devoured.

Of course, these people could eat anything.

Next up, some cookie recipes to die for, and great to keep in the freezer. However, I have to confess, I hated baking cookies, the kids ate them as fast as I got them on the counter. Then, they'd STEAL them from the freezer. I tried to hide them and even locked them in a second freezer we had in the garage. Pigs.

More recipes here and here.